Warriors: The Prophecy of Frost - Danger Lurking

Part 2: Chapter 7- The Hunt

A few days after the incident with Hawkflight, it was time for the Gathering. Fernpaw wanted to go, although she doubted that Froststar would choose her as she was only one moon into her training.

"Let all cats who are old enough to catch their own prey to gather at Highledge for a Clan meeting!" Froststar yowled.

When the Clan have settled, Froststar mewed, "I am going to list the cats going to the Gathering. Webfoot, Dustfur, Goldenfeather, Patchheart, Spikethorn, Berrypaw and Dewsplash will be going to the Gathering. Those going to the Gathering should have a piece of prey before leaving."

Fernpaw sighed in disappointment. She also could tell that Hailpaw was disappointed too, judging by his lowered tail.

"You will get your chance soon," Froststar mewed to her. "I will tell you about it later. Hailpaw, sleep earlier tonight. Rockpelt tells me that you have been sleepy during training."

Hailpaw nodded while Fernpaw kept her gaze on the camp entrance, where the cats chosen for the Gathering began to gather.

Froststar exchanged a few words with Specklebreeze before leading the Clan towards Fourtrees.

~~~~

Froststar jumped onto the Great Rock as WindClan began to arrive. The RiverClan leader, Greenstar, was already on top, casting the Clans a half suspicious look.

Owlstar jumped up the rock and Greenstar gave a yowl to start the Gathering.

Dovestar stepped forward to speak first. "WindClan have been doing well, and prey is plentiful for us. We also welcome the new additions to our Clan, Driftkit and Ferretkit."

Froststar saw Woodear looking very proud, whispering to the cat beside him who was from another Clan.

Owlstar stepped forward to speak. "Prey have been running well for ShadowClan. We have two new apprentices: Alderpaw and Daisypaw."

"Alderpaw! Daisypaw!" the Clans called out, although some stared at the ShadowClan leader with narrowed eyes.

I never heard Owlstar mention about kits, they must be rogues or loners, Froststar thought. ShadowClan's numbers have been small.

"RiverClan have scented fox near WindClan's border," Greenstar mewed. "We seen no sign of it yet but we will keep a lookout for it. Despite the ending leaf-fall, fish still runs well in the river."

Froststar padded forward begin her report. "ThunderClan have also been doing well. We too, have found the scent of a fox, but we chased it away. It must have escaped into RiverClan's territory."

Greenstar gave her a nod of acknowledgement.

"Other than that, we are preparing for leaf-bare," Froststar ended.

"The Gathering is over!" Dovestar yowled and the cats broke from their small groups to return to their Clans.

~~~~

"Fernpaw, to catch a rabbit, what would you do?" Honeyfrost asked.

Her apprentice blinked in thought and mewed, "Be downwind of it. Stalk it until it is about three mouse lengths and pounce."

"Good," her mentor mewed. "But you might need speed if the rabbit smelled you and runs off."

"Okay," Fernpaw mewed.

"Now, you will have a mini assessment. Catch at least three pieces of prey by sundown. I will meet you at the Owl Tree," Honeyfrost mewed.

Fernpaw quickly darted off, her nose lifted to sniff for prey. She almost found one immediately, which was the scent of a mouse.

She dropped into a crouch and began stalking it. Unfortunately, the wind direction changed and the mouse smelled her. It sped off into a nearby hole, leaving a frustrated Fernpaw.

"Mouse dung!" she grumbled at herself.

She went off into another direction to find more prey. She spotted a robin nearby and stalked towards it, hoping that it would not fly off.

The robin pecked at the ground searching for worms, showing no signs of leaving. Fernpaw's eyes narrowed in concentration and she pounced.

She caught the robin with her claws and killed it quickly with a nip to its neck. Fernpaw smiled and buried her prey.

Lifting up her head to taste the air, she scented voles. There must be a family of them, she thought.

Fernpaw carefully followed the scent and found herself at Sunningrocks. She caught a glimpse of a small gray fur and she swiped under one of the stones.

It was a vole, a plump one in fact. It squealed in fear as Fernpaw bit its neck. She bent down to look if there were any more, but to her disappointment, there was none.

They must have been scared off, she thought.

Fernpaw carried her prey and buried it with her recently caught robin.

She headed for Tallpines, hoping to catch a bird or a wandering rabbit. As soon as she reached there, she spotted a squirrel on one of the branches of a tree.

Fernpaw glanced at it hesitantly, and soon she decided to try catching it. She leaped at the squirrel, only managing to grab a hold of its fluffy tail.

As she fall, she pulled the squirrel down with her. It landed on the ground, looking stunned, which gave Fernpaw a chance to quickly kill it.

She looked up at the sky, which was going to be sundown soon. She picked up her prey and headed to the place where she buried the other prey.

Suddenly, a cat pounced onto her, and her small size gave into the bigger and heavier cat.

"Help!" Fernpaw cried, defenseless as she was not taught many battle moves.

The tom shook her mercilessly and Fernpaw felt dizzy. She tried to swipe at the tom, but her paw only felt air.

Finally, she was thrown to the ground roughly. The tom shoved something into her mouth and she closed her eyes unwillingly.